Electric vulcanizing outfits



March 13, 1956 R DUPONT 2,738,407

ELECTRIC VULCANIZING OUTFITS Filed Feb. 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROLAND DUPONT 'B7 MMM ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 2,738,407 ELECTRIC VULCANIZING OUTFITS Roland Dupont, Epernay, France v ApplicatonFebru-ary 19, 1954, Serial No. 411,521 "Claimspriority, application France February 23, 1953 6 Claims. (Cl. 2151-19) The present invention relates to an electric vulcanising outfit of the quick-operated type for repairing rubber or fabric articles and comprising essentially a fixed supporting plate and a movable heating pad or box.

The scope of the present invention is to provide an `apparatus of this type wherein the Various steps of posiltioning the article to be repaired, and clamping, releasing and removing the heating system are effected very rapidly while ensuring the correct action thereof in `the desired zone, so that the heatreleased will be concentrated ex- `actly'in the area to be vulcanised.

vFor permitting the quick operation ofthe heating sysvtern ofthe outfit, the heating pad is suspended for free i oscillation at the front end of a rocking arrn guided between a lpair of vertical parallel supporting brackets of theapparatus and threaded on a pivoting rod above a coil spring urging the complete movable assembly upwards, in the axial direction of said rod, and a handwheel `screwed on the upper end of this rod which makes it poslsible to clamp the arm downwards against the resilient 'pressure of said spring.

According to a complementary feature of the inven- Ition, a rocking stop may be positioned either beneath 'the rear end of the arm or away from this arm so *that 'the latter can be swung rearwardly toraise the heating pad and freethe repaired article or the plate on which an- .other article to be repaired is subsequently placed.

A resilient substantially U-shaped frame structure may surround horirontally the plate on which the article to be repaired is placed, so as to hold the latter, an'd Aone larm of the vresilient frame structure may act as a support for a pivoting guide member having a substantially 4semi-circular portion or like positioning element in- :tended'to'engage the article to be repaired when the'latter is placed upon the stationary plate for accurately cen- "tering thereon the article to be vulcanised, the'centre of this semi-circular portion overlying that of the stationary, plate which inA turn corresponds Vto the centre ofthe heating pad or box.

Within this heating pad or box the heat released by:V a ,resistance mounted therein is transferred to the lower face'of'the padl through a thin metal disc of reducedv surface which is secured in the box in accurate relationship therewithso that its centre will register with that of the aforesaidsemi-circular portion of the guide member when the latter is folded back onto the stationary plate carrying Vthe article` to be repaired.

The invention will be better understood if reference ismade tothe accompanying drawing forming part-of this specification andshowing diagrammaticallyby way of example one form of embodiment of the invention. YIn the-drawing:

Figure 1 is a side-elevational and part-sectional'view showing the outfit in its vulcanising condition;

`Figure 2 is a correspondingvertical axial lsection showing the apparatus with its heating systemraised from the work; and

Figure 3 is-a part-sectional plan view from above of the supporting structure ofthe apparatus.

The electric vulcanising outt according to `the present `invention and as `shown in the drawing comprises esvsentially a bracket 1 formed integrally with a base'plate .2o.having holes conveniently spaced for securing the'out- `tit' to a bench'orthelike. The bracket 1 is also formed 2,738,407 Patented Mar. 13, 1956 ICC ing `various horizontal holes formed therethrough. A

transverse shaft 8 formed with a diametral threaded hole is journaled in bearings or adequate recessesformed in the anges 6, 7. The threaded hole formed in shaft 8 visengaged by the correspondingly threaded end '9 of a rod 10 having its opposite end screw threaded as-shown. The rod 10 is surrounded by a coil spring'll and above this spring the rod has freely mounted thereon `an ann l2 to be described presently; nally, the upper screwthreaded portion of rod 10 is engaged by aninternally threaded nut or hub 14 rotatably rigid with a yhandwheel 13.

Thearm 12 carries a pair of lateral reinforcements 15 acting as guide members to the arm to prevent it from oscillating about its axis while constantly `causing the centreof .the heating pad or box carried by the front end of the arm to register with the centre of the "disc 5 supporting the article to be vulcanised.

For properly positioning the arm 12 the screws 16, held in the desired position through the flanges 6, 7 by the nuts 17, are tightened or released. These screws "16 are formed with at inner ends frictionally engaged by the'reinforcements 15, thereby providing an accurate alignment of the arm 12.

' The front end of arm 12 is formed with a head *18 having a through bore 19 parallel to rod 10 'and formed in` turn with a chambered portion adapted to receive the upper end of a coil spring 20 the other endof Vwhich is received by a cavity 21 formed for this purpose in the :upper portion of the heating box 22.

This heating box consists of a case havinga lowerV face designed to be pressed against the article'to be vulcanised which is carried by the resilient disc 5. A relatively'thin metal disc 23 formed with a central hole is secured'to the bottom face of box 22 and covered by alarger anged disc 24 so that the peripheral flange of this vdisc 24 .will bear yagainst the bottom of the box whilst its centre engages the smaller disc 23, a rivet or screw 25 securing the pair of discs 23, 24 to the bottom wall of vthe case, as shown. The upper face of disc '24 carriesan electrical heating Yresistance 26 of adequatevalue, which is insulated from the disc 24 and covered by an insulating pad 27. Convenient and known means are provided for yfeeding the resistance with heating current and :auto- -matically cutting the current supply when predetermined Vtemperature conditions are attained in the outt.

The heating box 22 is attached through a `screw:28 to the arm 12 and extends through the bore 19 thereof so as 'to provide a xation which is rigid when the device is inoperative and resilient when the device is operating; moreover, the arrangement is such that the heating box 22 may be inclined slightly if the article to be repaired is of unequal thickness. In fact, when thehandwheel 13 is tightened the box 22 bearing on the article to be lvulcanised compresses the spring 20 and the head of screw 2S`is moved upwards, thereby freeing it from its fitting in the bore' 19. Thus, the box 22 may be tilted somewhat `since the shank of screw 28 is smaller than the bore '19 formed in the head 18. This shank is formed near its lower end with a collar 29 acting as a stop for the axial displacement of the screw and regulating automatically Vtheinitial compression of the coil spring 20. The lower end of -screw 28 is formed with an extensionengaging a hole formed in the insulating pad 27 of box22, thereby yproviding a perfect centering while properly positioning lthis insulating pad 27.

A rocking stop 30 is pivotally mounted on a pairof n sockets 31 secured in the flanges 6, 7 through a pair of screws 32 which clamp a pair of washers 33 against the outer faces of the sockets 31. This stop 3i) carries a pair of rear lugs 34 adapted to be positioned beneath the rear end of arm 12; it also carries a counterpoise 35 adapted for moving the stop 36 rearwardly s0 as to release the arm 12 and enable the latter to be swung from the position of Figure l to that of Figure 2.

The sockets 31 have their outer surfaces splined for engagement by correspondingly splined surfaces formed in the rear ends of the side arms of a resilient frame 36 rigidly secured by means of screws 32 tightened on Ithe washers 33. The resilient frame 36 carries at its front end an insulating sheath 37, for example of rubber, to

protect the operators fingers from the heat released by the apparatus. This frame 36 also carries an inner guide member 38 pivotally mounted on one arm of the frame 3,6 and'formed with an inner, substantially semi-circular portion 39. This guide member 38 is held in the proper longitudinal position by a pair of stop rings 40.

The operation of the apparatus described hereinabove is particularly easy and quick. With the arm 12 rocked upwards in the position shown in Figure 2 the article to be vulcanised is placed upon the supporting pad 5 while lifting slightly the frame 36 for inserting the article between this frame and the pad 5. Then the frameV 36 `Will tend automatically to resume its initial position and will press the article to be vulcanised which will thus be properly held on the pad 5. Then the guide member 38 is lowered upon the article to be `repaired for properly f centering it.Y Then this article is slightly moved so that vthe puncture to be repaired be placed centrally of the semi-circular portion 39 of guide member 38. The still -uncured patch (not shown), of same diameter as the semi-circular portion 39 of guide member 38, is placed upon the article to be repaired this guide member serving as a means for accurately centering the rubber parts.

Finally, the guied member 33 is raised and swung backA Ituwill be readily understood that if the article to be repaired is thicker on one'side than on the other side, the box 22 may be inclined in one or the other direction, as already explained hereinabove, due to the special coupling through the screw 28 which constitutes one of the features of this invention.

When the vulcanising is completed it will be suilcient to screw out the handwheel 13 one or two turns, tilt the rocking stop 30 to the rear and swing the complete heating and pressure system 12, 13, 22 in the same direction, that is, to the position indicated in Figure 2, for completely releasing the repaired article which can be removed immediately from the apparatus.

It will be readily understood that the example describe hereinabove and described in the attached drawing is given merely by way of example and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, as many'constructional and dimensional modifications may be contemplated without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. An electric vulcanizer for repairing articles of rubber or fabric, comprising a stationary support havinga plate for receiving the articles to be repaired, a heating box for clamping these articles between it and said plate, a pair of substantially vertical parallel flanges carried by said support, a rod having a threaded upper end and adapted for pivoting between said anges around an axis perpendicular to said flanges, a swinging arm having a central aperture for being freely and slidably mounted on said rod, a handwheel in threaded engagement on the upper end of said rod for clamping said arm downwards,

- means tending to raise said arm on said rod when said from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1, so

' that the lugs 34 thereof will be positioned beneath the rear end of arm 12; however, it will be noted that the spring 11 urges ,the complete system upwards and that as a consequence a certain gap will always subsist between the lower face of the rear end of arm 12 and the upper face Y of the rocking stop 30.

By screwing in the handwheel 13 the arm 12 will b forced downwards. As the lower rear face of arm 12 Vengages the upper face of the rocking stop 3G, this downward motion of this rear end is stopped. As the handwheel is further tightened, the head 18 of arm, 12 contnues itsdownward movement and the heating box `carried thereby will be properly pressed on the article to `be vulcanised.

Then the vulcanising step proper will take place very rapidly. Current is fed to the apparatus and the resistance 26, heat-insulated from the other components of Vthe box, except through the small peripheral flange of discv24 and the small disc 23, will be heated almost irnmediately. The heat will be transferred very quickly to the bottom wall of box 22 in the central portion contacting the disc 23. As a result, a very strong heat will be concentrated exactly at the centre of the box 22, and the heat will be reduced progressively toward the outer periphery of the box. Therefore, the patch will be quickhandwheel is loosened, means for suspending said heating box from the front end of said swinging arm and a rocking stop connected to said flanges for supporting in one position the rear end of said arm, when said handwheel is tightened.

2. An electric vulcanizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rocking stop consists of a pair of members each pivotally connected to one of said flanges, each of said members having a lug extending laterally of said flanges for engaging and supporting the rear end of said arm when said members are vertically positioned and said arm is in its clamping position and a counterpoise connecting said members and tending to pivot the same with said lugs out of their arm supporting position.

3. An electric vuclanizer as claimed in claim l, where- I in a pair of reinforcing members each extend along a slide of said arm and a pair of screws are adjustably mounted through and extend laterally of said anges each bearing against one of said reinforcing members for guiding the swinging motion of said arm.

4. An electric vulcanizer as claimed in claim 1, including a horizontal resilient frame surrounding said plate for holding the articles to be repaired onto said plate.

l5. An electric vlucanizer as claimed in claim l, including a horizontally positioned resilient frame surrounding said plate for holding the articles to be repaired onto said plate, a pivotally mounted guide member carried by said frame and adapted to be folded onto said plate upon the articles to be repaired whereby the latter 'can be centered in the area to be heated.

6. An electric vulcanizer as claimed in claim l, including a pad to be heated by an electrical resistance element within said heating box and a thin metal disc centrally positioned between said heating pad and the bottom of said box.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

1. AN ELECTRIC VULCANIZER FOR REPAIRING ARTICLES OF RUBBER OR FABRIC, COMPRISING A STATIONARY SUPPORT HAVING A PLATE FOR RECEIVING THE ARTICLES TO BE REPAIRED, A HEATING BOX FOR CLAMPING THESE ARTICLES BETWEEN IT AND SAID PLATE, A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PARALLEL FLANGES CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT, A ROD HAVING A THREADED UPPER END AND ADAPTED FOR PIVOTING BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AROUND AN AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FLANGES, A SWINGING ARM HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE FOR BEING FREELY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROD, A HANDWHEEL IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT ON THE UPPER END OF SAID ROD FOR CLAMPING SAID ARM DOWNWARDS, MEANS TENDING TO RAISE SAID ARM ON SAID ROD WHEN SAID HANDWHEEL IS LOOSENED, MEANS FOR SUSPENDING SAID HEATING BOX FROM THE FRONT END OF SAID SWINGING ARM AND A ROCKING STOP CONNECTED TO SAID FLANGES FOR SUPPORTING IN ONE POSITION THE REAR END OF SAID ARM, WHEN SAID HANDWHEEL IS TIGHTENED. 